|
 |
|
Wednesday, September 4, 2013 by Liz Smith “UNCERTAINTY and expectation are the joys of life!” wrote English poet William Congreve. |
|
|
|
Oh, come on, what does it matter? Hunnam is a talented actor. Miss Johnson I’ve never seen. Both are attractive, although Hunnam does himself no favors with that beard-ish thing he’s sporting. In the end this will be a 21st century “9 ½ Weeks.” Remember that? 1986? Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger? Kinky sex? Also adapted from a book (said to be a true “memoir of a love affair.”) The movie wasn’t a success in the U.S. but it did make a bundle overseas and became a hot item on video and DVD. Maybe “50 Shades” will fare better because the book was such a hot seller. (Although I just read somewhere that it is one of the 10 books most frequently left behind in hotel and motel rooms.) Nevertheless, the author E. L. James has raked in $95 million from this book, this year — tying with Simon Cowell and Howard Stern on Forbes list of top earning celebrities. And Judge Judy is said to be one of the year’s annual highest earners at $47 million a year, followed by Jon Stewart who makes between $25 and $30 million with his talents. (Sellers and buyers may be young or old!) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The tone of MSNBC stays pretty much the same. Somehow, it reminds me of the great MGM acting coach Lillian Burns, who guided the likes of Ava Gardner, Judy Garland, Lana Turner and Elizabeth Taylor. At one point, they all emerged sounding the same, but eventually developed their own individual styles. Except for Lana. She maintained Lillian’s teachings, which probably undercut her genuine talent. Turner was always the “movie star” though good directors could shake that out of her from time to time. But of all the gals, Lana enjoyed and identified with her screen and fan magazine image most of all. She loved being “Lana Turner.” Well, I’d have to throw Joan Crawford in there too. She totally lost herself in the creation of her stellar image. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| WATCHING the end of “Breaking Bad” is excruciating. (Yes, it’s that intense!) And why are they ending this hit series? Couldn’t they go on with it? Have the protagonists escape from Albuquerque and all go to Asia immediately? The Wall Street Journal reports that North Korea’s government is now a main manufacturer of crystal meth which they are selling all over the East and the world. Forty per cent of those North Koreans engaged in the business of making this horrible and devastating drug are said to be themselves addicted. Imagine Walter White and wife Scuyler embroiled in competition with the North Koreans! Walter and Skyler (and maybe Jesse) could operate out of Taiwan. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| WENT to the Eugene O’Neill Center in Connecticut recently and caught my pal Tommy Tune’s SRO show there. He was great, as always, slaying a mature and immature audience. “Taps, Tunes & Tall Tales” deserves its own limited run on Broadway if you wonder where the magic of theater still exists without rock’n’roll. This guy didn’t win nine Tony Awards for nothing.
The Eugene O’Neill is exploding with talent in all directions; it is one of the great teaching enclaves and for Tommy’s night, sitting at ringside were the very people who gave the O’Neill ancestral land that is dedicated to one of America’s greatest playwrights. This summer saw star after star shining at the O’Neill — Tony winner Donna McKechnie, exquisite singer Wesla Whitfield, big talents doing the music of Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen. Michael Douglas, Judith Light, Harold Prince and Christopher Durang are just four of the famous folks on the O’Neill board. If you are anywhere near Waterford, Connecticut you should get on the O'Neill Center mailing list, www.theoneill.org. Even if you are further away, you should know about this great organization under Tom Viertel and Preston Whiteway. |
|
|
|
Contact Liz Smith here. | Click here for NYSD contents. |